Penn State's Community Impact Map: A Statewide Initiative

Penn State University has launched a new interactive map, showcasing its far-reaching impact across Pennsylvania. This initiative underscores the university's commitment to its land-grant mission, demonstrating how it serves the Commonwealth through education, research, and public service. The map is a dynamic visual representation of Penn State's contributions and offerings available to Pennsylvanians.

Exploring the Map's Reach

The Penn State Community Impact Map is a testament to the university's dedication to its founding principles. President Neeli Bendapudi emphasizes the importance of service and impact as core tenets of Penn State's mission. “Service and impact are at the very heart of our mission as an institution,” she stated, highlighting the map's role in illustrating Penn State's extensive reach. The map allows users to filter by campus, congressional, and legislative districts, providing a granular view of the university's activities across the state. The initiative also showcases the university's commitment to a transformational Penn State experience, student success, interdisciplinary research, and inclusive practices.

Categories and Data

The map is organized according to President Bendapudi's vision for the university, incorporating categories such as enhancing student success, growing interdisciplinary research excellence, increasing land-grant impact, and fostering inclusion, equity, diversity, and belonging. Each entry includes details such as activity name, description, location, approximate number of individuals engaged, affiliated campus, and points of contact. The data are meticulously collected to ensure accuracy and transparency, giving users a clear picture of Penn State's involvement in different communities.

Submission Process and Inclusion

The map is designed to be an evolving resource, constantly updated with new entries. Campuses, colleges, units, and departments are encouraged to submit their outreach activities for inclusion. The submission process is straightforward, requiring key information like the activity name, description, location, number of individuals engaged, and affiliated campus and partners. The process is designed to be inclusive, welcoming both current and planned activities occurring within Pennsylvania. Activities that are available virtually to Pennsylvania residents are also eligible, highlighting Penn State’s commitment to statewide engagement, regardless of geographical location.

To prevent duplication, activities co-owned with other units or teams should be entered only once, and creating a plan with activity co-owners is encouraged. The submission form is readily accessible on the map’s website, providing a clear and user-friendly process for submitting information.

Eligibility Criteria

To ensure consistency and accuracy, certain eligibility criteria are in place for submitted activities. Activities must have occurred after July 1, 2023. Only the unit or entity responsible for the activity can submit it, and only the submitting individual can update or edit the details. Furthermore, location information should describe where the activity occurs, not where the audience is located. The focus is on capturing the direct impact of Penn State's initiatives within Pennsylvania communities.

A Collaborative Effort

The creation of the Penn State Community Impact Map was a collaborative effort involving numerous units across the University. This collaboration highlights the university's commitment to transparency and working together to accomplish its mission. Among the participating units were Continuing Education and Workforce Development; Penn State Outreach; University Libraries; Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses; Penn State Law; Dickinson Law; Penn State Health; College of Medicine; Office of the Senior Vice President for Research; Broader Impacts Committee; Office of Government and Community Relations; Strategic Communications; Penn State Extension; College of Agricultural Sciences; Faculty Affairs; K-12 Education; Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research; Penn State Sustainability; Invent Penn State; College of Education; Penn State Museum Consortium; and the Social Science Research Institute. This diverse range of departments contributes to the comprehensiveness of the map and the breadth of Penn State's statewide impact.

The Impact Beyond the Map

The Penn State Community Impact Map is more than just a digital tool; it’s a symbol of the university's dedication to serving the people of Pennsylvania. By providing a clear, accessible, and interactive view of its activities, Penn State fosters transparency and accountability. This initiative allows residents, policymakers, and stakeholders to see firsthand the positive impact of the university within their communities. This map is not only about showcasing achievements, but it is also a mechanism to inspire further collaboration and community engagement, strengthening the bonds between the University and the communities it serves. The future of the map is dynamic and will be updated as more projects and initiatives are submitted, reflecting the ongoing dedication of Penn State to its community. The success of this initiative rests on the ongoing contributions from all those committed to the mission of extending Penn State's reach and impacting the lives of Pennsylvanians. This project is a crucial step in bolstering the university's connection with the public and will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping its future endeavors.